Apparatus for cleaning the discharge of a smokestack or the like

ABSTRACT

An apparatus to be used with a smokestack to receive the discharge thereof and to clean the discharge in such a way that only non-noxious components are released to the outer atmosphere. The discharge from a smokestack is directed into a mixing chamber where it is mixed with steam from a suitable steam-supply. This mixture is then directed from the mixing chamber through a conduit into a treating tank. Prior to reaching the treating tank the mixture of steam and discharge received from the mixing chamber is cooled and liquefied by a liquefying structure. In the treating tank particulate matter in the liquid is permitted to settle to the bottom of the tank while the liquid can be treated with suitable neutralizing agents to provide in this way a nonnoxious liquid and gas to be released from the treating tank.

United States Patent [191 Kawata 1 Sept. 9, 1975 LIKE [75] Inventor:Tadao Kawata, Japan [73] Assignee: Kawada Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Japan [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 444,878

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 23, 1973 Japan 48-22725 [52]U.S. Cl. 23/284; 23/283; 23/262;

SS/DIG. 30; 55/220; 55/223; 55/263;

261/111; 261/17; 261/DIG. 9; 423/242 [51] Int. Cl. B01J l/22; B01D 53/34[58] Field of Search 23/283, 284, 262; 423/242; 261/111, DIG. 9, 17;55/DIG. 30, 223, 220,

10/1935 Kennaetal 261/111 12/1972 Chew 55/220 X Primary Examiner-JamesH. Tayman, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Steinberg & Blake [57] ABSTRACTAn apparatus to be used with a smokestack to receive the dischargethereof and to clean the discharge in such a way that only non-noxiouscomponents are released to the outer atmosphere. The discharge from asmokestack is directed into a mixing chamber where it is mixed withsteam from a suitable steam-supply. This mixture is then directed fromthe mixing chamber through a conduit into a treating tank. Prior toreaching the treating tank the mixture of steam and discharge receivedfrom the mixing chamber is cooled and liquefied by a liquefyingstructure. In the treating tank particulate matter in the liquid ispermitted to settle to the bottom of the tank while the liquid can betreated with suitable neutralizing agents to provide in this way anon-noxious liquid and gas to be released from the treating tank.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE DISCHARGE OF ASMOKESTACK OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to apparatus for cleaning a smokestack discharge before thelatter is released to the outer atmosphere.

As is well known, the products of combustion which form the dischargeflowing out of the smokestacks of factories and the like contain noxiouscomponents. Primarily the noxious component of the smokestack dischargeis As is well known it is this latter compo nent in particular whichcontaminates the atmosphere in the neighborhood of such smokestacks.Various attempts have been made to clean such exhausts from stacks offactories and the like. Thus electric dust collectors are known, butapparatus of this type removes only the dust and other particulatematter contained in the smokestack discharge. In addition, it is knownto provide at the path of the smoke a shower in the form of a suitablespray. However, such attempts at cleaning the exhaust of a smokestackare only partially successful inasmuch a complete cleaning of thesmokestack is achieved only upon removal of the chemical noxiouscontents such as S0 as well as the solids such as dust from the air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide an apparatus which will effectively cleanthe discharge of a smokestack in such a way that only non-noxiouscomponents are released.

In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide anapparatus which takes advantage of the fact that S0 has the property ofbeing water soluble and achieves a removal of S0 from the smokestackdischarge by an intimate mixture of the smokestack discharge with waterin various forms achieving a highly effective removal of S0 Furthermore,it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of theabove type which will improve the manner in which a discharge flows outof a smokestack so that the operation of the combustion apparatus willbe enhanced.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide anapparatus of the above type which will make use of energy whichotherwise would be wasted, for the purpose of contributing to thecleaning achieved with the apparatus of the invention.

In accordance with the invention the discharge from a smokestack isdirected into a mixing chamber means which also communicates with asteam-supply means so that steam is mixed with the smokestack dischargein the mixing chamber means. A conduit means has an inlet communicatingwith the mixing chamber means to receive the mixture of steam andsmokestack discharge therefrom, and this conduit means has distant fromits inlet an outlet end communicating with a treating means. Between itsinlet and outlet the conduit means is operatively connected with aliquefying means which cools and liquefies the mixture prior to the timethat the latter reaches the outlet of the conduit means to flowtherefrom into the treating means. In the treating means the productsflowing from the outlet of the conduit means are treated in such a waythat only a non noxious liquid is released and any air which is alsoreleased is also in a non-noxious form. Thus, in accordance with theinvention the discharge from the smokestack is initially mixedintimately with steam and the noxious components such as S0 areneutralized and separated by the liquefying action so that what reachesthe outer atmosphere is a non-polluting waste liquid and clean air.Since S0 is strongly inclined to be water soluble, the mixture withsteam and the subsequent cooling and liquefying removes the chemicalnoxious contents such as S0 from the smokestack discharge as a result ofthe mixture with steam and subsequent liquefying treatment. Between asteam chamber which contains a supply of steam and the mixing chamber islocated a Venturi means having just above the smokestack a throat forreceiving the smokestack discharge as well as the steam from the steamchamber. As a result the steam is fed under pressure into the mixingchamber so as to increase the rate of flow of steam into the chamberbeyond what this rate would be without the Venturi means whilesubjecting the upper discharge end of the smokestack to a negativepressure or minus load, thus sucking the discharge forcibly from thesmokestack into the mixing chamber to be mixed with steam therein. Theconduit means is of a U-shaped configuration at its inlet end so that itcurves first upwardly and then downwardly from the mixing chamber withthe conduit means having an elongated downwardly extending portion whichis substantially parallel to a com mon axis of the upper discharge endregion of the smokestack, the steam chamber, the Venturi means, and themixing chamber means. Just beyond its U- shaped region the conduit meansis operatively connected with the liquefying means so that the mixtureis cooled and liquefied just beyond the U-shaped part of the conduitmeans to flow downwardly along the interior thereof to the treatingmeans. Just before the treating means the conduit means is operativelyconnected with a blower means which blows air into the conduit means toflow downwardly therein into the treating means with the flow of theliquefied mixture received from the mixing chamber means into thetreating means being enhanced by the introduction of the air from theblower means into the conduit means at the part thereof just above thetreating means. The conduit means introduces the components into atreating means in the form of a suitable cleaning tank which receivesthe liquid and gas from the conduit means, and any noxious componentsare neutralized in the treating tank by a suitable neutralizing agent sothat only a nonpolluting waste liquid and a non-noxious gas are releasedto the outer atmosphere.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrowsand illustrating a Venturi means; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing in detail aliquefying means which is illustrated at a smaller scale in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 schematically illustratespart of a smokestack 1 which has an upper discharge end region. Thisupper discharge end region of the smokestack 1 extends into the interiorof a cylinder 2 which has a lower wall 3 surrounding and fluid-tightlyconnected with the exterior of the smokestack 1. The cylinder 2 iscoaxial with the discharge end region of the smokestack l and has adiameter larger than the discharge end region of the smokestack 1 so asto define therewith a steam chamber 6 which surrounds the upperdischarge end region of the smokestack 1. At the region of the lowerwall 3, the cylinder 2 is closed except for a small opening whichcommunicates with the interior of a steamsupply pipe which extendsupwardly along the exterior of the smokestack 1. The lower end of thepipe 5 receives steam from a boiler 4 which is heated with excess heatwhich otherwise would be wasted and which results from the combustionwhich takes place during operation of the factory or other plant, withthe products of this combustion forming the discharge which flowsupwardly through and beyond the smokestack 1.

Thus, the upper end of the pipe 5 communicates with the steam chamber 6through an opening at the region of the bottom wall 3 of the cylinder 2so that in this way the structure provides a steam-supply means allowingsteam to flow from the boiler 4 through the pipe 5 into the chamber 6.

The top end of the steam chamber 6 communicates with a Venturi means 7which has a throat situated just above the discharge end of thesmokestack 1, this throat having a diameter smaller than the innerdiameter of the cylinder 2 which forms the steam chamber 6. The top endof the Venturi means 7 communicates with a mixing chamber means 9 whichthus receives steam from the steam chamber 6 and the discharge from thesmokestack 1. The mixing chamber means 9 is in the form of a tubularstructure which converges upwardly and in which the steam and smokestackdischarge are mixed intimately.

A conduit means has an inlet region 8 of substantially U-shapedconfiguration communicating with the mixing chamber means 9 to receivetherefrom the mixture of steam and smokestack discharge. Thus the inletend of the conduit means 10 communicates directly with the mixingchamber means 9 which forms an extension of the conduit means 10, and atits U-shaped region 8 the conduit means 10 curves first upwardly andthen downwardly. At its downwardly extending elongated portion theconduit means 10 extends vertically in parallel relation with respect toa common axis of the upper discharge end region of the smokestack 1, thecylinder 2, the Venturi means 7 and the mixing chamber means 9.

Just beyond its U-shaped portion 8, the conduit means is operativelyconnected with a liquefying means in the form of a water jacket 13 whichserves to cool and condense the steam flowing downwardly along theinterior of the conduit means 10 subsequent to the inlet thereof. Theliquefying action is enhanced by way of a spray means 14 which receiveswater from the interior 15 of the water jacket 13 and sprays the waterdownwardly and across the interior of the conduit means 10.

Thus, as may be seen particularly from FIG. 4, the interior 15 of thewater jacket 13 receives cooling Water from a supply pipe 17. The waterjacket is in the form of a cylinder which surrounds the fluid-tightlyengages the exterior of the conduit means 10 to define the water jacketspace 15 in which the cooling water is located. The spray means 14 is inthe form of a circular tube having at its outer region perforationscommunicating with openings formed in the wall of the conduit means 10at the lower region of the space 15 so that in this way water flowsdirectly from the space 15 through perforations in the conduit 10coinciding perforations at the outer region of the circular tube 14 intothe interior of the latter. This circular tube 14 which forms the spraymeans has an inner region formed with openings 16 directed downwardlyand across the interior of the conduit means 10. Thus the spray providedfrom the spray means 14 is directed downwardly and across the interiorof the conduit means 10 in an oblique direction as shown by the arrowsin FIG. 4.

The conduit means 10 extends downwardly from the liquefying means 13,14through a considerable distance before terminating in a bottom outletend which is situated in the interior of a treating means 23 in the formof a cylindrical settling tank. Thus the lower end region of the conduitmeans 10 extends fluid-tightly through the top wall of the treating tank23. The liquid 25 received from the conduit means 10 rises in the tank23 While accumulating therein. Thus, it will be noted that the lower endregion 20 of the conduit means 10 extends directly into the body ofliquid 25 which collects in the tank 23. Mounted on the top wall of thetank 23 is a hopper 24 containing a neutralizing agent 26 which can besupplied in a predetermined regulated manner by way of suitabledischarge valve or the like to the interior of the tank 23 to bereceived by the liquid 25 for neutralizing in a known way any noxiouscomponents of the liquid 25. The liquid 25 is thus stored for a giventime in the tank 23 and particulate matter 29 will settle to the bottomof the tank as illustrated. Clean air which is situated above the bodyof liquid 25 is permitted to escape to the outer atmosphere through thegas outlet 28 of the tank 23 while clean liquid will flow out throughthe overflow opening 27.

The steam from the boiler 4 is delivered by way of the pipe 5 to theinterior of the steam chamber 6 under pressure prior to being combinedwith the smokestack discharge which contains S0 The flow of the steamthrough the throat of the Venturi means 7 together with the dischargefrom the stack 1 creates a minus load or negative pressure which is tosay a pressure less than atmospheric pressure directly above the top endof the smokestack 1, and thus the discharge is sucked out of thesmokestack 1 into the mixing chamber 9 together with the steamintroduced under pressure into the chamber 6 from the pipe 5. Thus, thedischarge from the smokestack is forcibly drawn up into the mix ingchamber means 9 at the negative pressure which acts on the top end ofthe smokestack, with intimate mixing between the steam and dischargetaking place in the mixing chamber means 9. This mixture of steam andsmokestack discharge is directed through the U- shaped portion 8 of theconduit means 10 downwardly along the interior of the latter. Thisdownward flow of the mixture along the conduit means 10 is enhanced by ablower means 21 which feeds air into the conduit means 10 at a lowerregion thereof just above the treating means 23.

With the downward flow enhanced as a result of the action of the blowermeans 21, the mixture is smoothly drawn into the vertical part of theconduit means It from the U-shaped portion 8 thereof, and inasmuch ascooling takes place next to the U-shaped portion 8 by way of the waterjacket 13, the result is a rapid cooling and liquefying of the mixturewith the particulate matter of the smokestack discharge therein, theliquefying action being accelerated by the spray means 14 which operatesto spray water constantly toward the interior of the conduit 10.

With the contents now completely liquefied, flow thereof takes placealong the inner surface of the conduit means toward the treating meansformed by the cleaning tank 23. The blower means 21 includes a pipe 19communicating through an opening 18 with the interior of the conduitmeans 10. This opening 18 is covered by a baffle 22 which directs theair from the pipe 19 downwardly along the interior of the conduit means10 while preventing liquid from flowing across the opening 18. Thus, asa result of the baffle 22 which covers the opening 18 there is no dangerthat this opening 18 will become clogged with liquid while at the sametime the operation of the structure for a long period is enhanced.

Thus, the liquid 25 is received in the cleaning or treating tank 23 tobe stored therein until a certain amount accumulates while theneutralizing agent required for cleaning purposes is received in thetank 23 from the hopper 24. In this way the particulate matter 29 willsettle to the bottom of the tank 23 and a clean,

neutralized, non-polluting water will flow out through the outlet 27.Although not illustrated the bottom wall of the tank 23 may be providedwith a removable plug which can be removed from time to time so that thedeposits 29 can be removed.

Thus, with the invention described above separation of the noxiouscomponents from the smokestack discharge is facilitated particularly asa result of the mixing of the smokestack discharge with steam at theregion just beyond the upper end of the smokestack. while theparticulate noxious matter and smoke particles form nuclei of dropletsof water while the mixture is cooled and liquefied. As a result itbecomes possible to eliminate substantially all of the S0 which is theprimary pollutant to be removed from the discharge before releasing thelatter to the outer atmosphere. In this way it is possible with thepresent invention to provide an effective anti-pollution apparatus ofconsiderable advantage to industry.

The neutralizing agent 26 may be, for example, Na CO CaOH or NaHCO Whatis claimed is:

1. In an apparatus to be used with a smokestack having a discharge endregion from which a discharge flows outwardly beyond the smokestack,mixing chamber means fluid-tightly communicating with the discharge endregion of the smokestack for receiving the discharge therefrom,steam-supply means communicating with said mixing chamber means forsupplying thereto steam to be mixed with the discharge from thesmokestack, conduit means having an inlet end communicating with saidmixing chamber means to receive the mixture of steam and smokestackdischarge therefrom and an outlet end distant from said mixing chambermeans, said conduit means directing the mixture from said mixing chambermeans to said outlet end of said conduit means, liquefying meansoperatively connected with said conduit means between said ends thereoffor cooling the mixture flowing through said conduit means and forliquefying at least a substantial portion of the mixture before themixture reaches said outlet end of said conduit means, and treatingmeans communicating fluid-tightly with the outlet end of said conduitmeans for treating the products received from said outlet end of saidconduit means in a manner providing for release of only non-noxiouscomponents from said treating means, said mixing chamber means being ofa tubular configuration and forming an extension of said inlet end ofsaid conduit means extending from the latter toward said discharge endregion of said smokestack, said steam-supply means including acylindrical enclosure fluid-tightly surrounding and spaced in part fromsaid discharge end region of said smokestack for defining with theexterior of the smokestack at said discharge end region thereof a steamchamber from which steam flows with the discharge of the smokestack intosaid mixing chamber means, a Venturi means being situated between saidsteam chamber and mixing chamber means and having a throat regionsituated adjacent but beyond said smokestack for receiving at its throatregion both the discharge from the smokestack and the steam from thesteam chamber and fordirecting the steam from the steam chamber and thedischarge from the smokestack at less than atmospheric pressure into themixing chamber means, said discharge end region of said smokestack, saidsteam chamber, Venturi means, and mixing chamber means all having acommon upright axis with said steam chamber and discharge end region ofsaid smokestack being situated at the same elevation while said Venturimeans is situated at a higher elevation than said steam chamber and saidmixing chamber means is situated at a higher elevation than said Venturimeans, said conduit means being of a substantially U-shapedconfiguration at the region of its inlet and curving from said inletfirst upwardly and then downwardly and extending downwardly from saidU-shaped region in a direction substantially parallel to said commonaxis, said liquefying means being operatively connected with saidconduit means at a part thereof which is situated beyond but adjacentsaid U-shaped region.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a blower means communicateswith said conduit means between said liquefying means and treating meansfor blowing air into said conduit means to flow with the contentsthereof into said treating means.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein a baffle means is carried bysaid conduit means in the interior thereof at the location where airenters said conduit means from said blower means to deflect the airdownwardly along the interior of said conduit means while preventingcontact between liquid in said conduit means and air at the locationwhere said blower means communicates with said conduit means.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said liquefying means includesa water jacket surrounding said conduit means.

5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said liquefying means includesa spray means situated in said conduit means and communicating with saidwater jacket for receiving water therefrom for spraying the water acrossthe interior of said conduit means.

6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said spray means is in theform of a circular tube having an outer region communicating throughsaid conduit means with the interior of the water jacket and an innerregion formed with apertures for directing a liquid spray downwardly andacross the interior of said conduit means.

7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein said treating means includes asettling tank for receiving liquid from said conduit means whilepermitting particulate matter to settle to the bottom of said tank.

8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said settling tank has anoverflow outlet situated at a substantial distance above the bottom ofthe tank through which liquid overflows and a gas outlet above saidoverflow outlet and through whch gas escapes.

9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said tank carries at an upperregion thereof a means for supply ing to the tank a neutralizing agentfor reacting with liquid in the tank to neutralize any noxiouscomponents therein for rendering them non-noxious and for enhancing thesettlement of particulate matter to the bottom of the tank.

10. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said liquefying meansincludes a water jacket surrounding said conduit means.

11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein said liquefying meansincludes a tubular ring situated in said conduit means and having anouter region communicating with said water jacket for receiving watertherefrom and an inner region formed with spray apertures from whichliquid is sprayed across the interior of said conduit means.

12. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said treating means includesa settlement tank for receiving liquid from said outlet of said conduitmeans while permitting particulate matter in the liquid to settle to thebottom of the tank.

13. The combination of claim 12 and wherein said settlement tank has atan elevation substantially higher than its bottom an overflow outletthrough which liquid overflows from the tank and at an elevation higherthan said overflow outlet a gas outlet through which gas flows from thetank.

14. The combination of claim 13 and wherein said settling tank carries asupply means for supplying to the interior of the tank a neutralizingagent to be received by the liquid in the tank for neutralizing anynoxious components and rendering the latter non-noxious before liquidflows out through said overflow outlet and gas flows out through saidgas outlet.

15. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a boiler means communicateswith said steam chamber for supplying steam thereto.

1. IN AN APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH A SMOKESTACK HAVING A DISCHARGE ENDREGION FROM WHICH A DISCHARGE FLOWS OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE SMOKESTACK,MIXING CHAMBER MEANS FLUID-TIGHTLY COMMUNICATING WITH THE DISCHARGE ENDREGION OF THE SMOKESTACK FOR RECEIVING THE DISCHARGE THEREFROM,STEAM-SUPPLY MEANS COMMUNICATING WITN SAID MIXING CHAMBER MEANS FORSUPPLYING THERETO STEAM TO BE MIXED WITH THE DISCHARGE FROM THESMOKESTACK, CONDUIT MEANS HAVING AN INLET END COMMUNICATING WITH SAIDMIXING CHAMBER MEANS TO RECEIVE THE MIXTURE OF STEAM AND SMOKESTACKDISCHARGE THEREFROM AND AN OUTLET END DISTANT FROM SAID MIXING CHAMBERMEANS, SAID CONDUIT MEANS DIRECTING THE MIXTURE FROM SAID MIXING CHAMBERMEANS TO SAID OUTLET END OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS, LIQUEFYING MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID CONDUIT MEANS BETWEEN SAID ENDS THEREOFFOR COOLING THE MIXTURE FLOWING THROUGH SAID CONDUIT MEANS AND FORLIQUEFYING AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE MIXTURE BEFORE THEMIXTURE REACHES SAID OUTLET END OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS, AND TREATINGMEANS COMMUNICATING FLUIDTIGHTLY WITH THE OUTLET END OF SAID CONDUITMEANS FOR TREATING THE PRODUCTS RECEIVED FROM SAID OUTLET END OF SAIDCONDUIT MEANS IN A MANNER PROVIDING FOR RELEASE OF ONLY NON-NOXIOUSCOMPONENTS FROM SAID TREATING MEANS, SAID MIXING CHAMBER MEANS BEING OFA TUBULAR CONFIGURATION AND FORMING AN EXTENSION OF SAID INLET END OFSAID CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE LATTER TOWARD SAID DISCHARGE ENDREGION OF SAID SMOKESTACK, SAID STEAM-SUPPLY MEANS INCLUDING ACYLINDRICAL ENCLOSURE FLUID- TIGHTLY SURROUNDING AND SPACED IN PART FROMSAID DISCHARGE END REGION OF SAID SMOKESTACK FOR DEFINING WITH THEEXTERIOR OF THE SMOKESTACK AT SAID DISCHARGE END REGION THEREOF A STEAMCHAMBER FROM WHICH STEAM FLOWS WITH THE DISCARGE OF THE SMOKESTACK INTOSAID MIXING CHAMBER MEANS, A VENTURI MEANS BEING SITUATED BETWEEN SAIDSTEAM CHAMBER AND MIXING CHAMBER MEANS AND HAVING A THROAT REGIONSITUATED ADJACENT BUT BEYOND SAID SMOKESTACK FOR RECEIVING AT ITS THROATREGION BOTH THE DISCHARGE FROM THE SMOKESTACK AND THE STEAM FROM THESTEAM CHAMBER AND FOR DIRECTING THE STEAM FROM THE STEAM CHAMBER AND THEDISCHARGE FROM THE SMOKESTACK AT LESS THAN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE INTO THEMIXING CHAMBER MEANS, SAID DISCHARGE END REGION OF SAID SMOKESTACK, SAIDSTEAM CHAMBER, VENTURI MEANS, AND MIXING CHAMBER MEANS ALL HAVING ACOMMON UPRIGHT AXIS WITH SAID STEAM CHAMBER AND DISCHARGE END REGION OFSAID SMOKESTACK BEING SITUATED AT THE SAME ELEVATION WHILE SAID VENTURIMEANS IS SITUATED AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THAN SAID STEAM CHAMBER AND SAIDMIXING CHAMBER MEANS IS SITUATED AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THAN SAID VENTURIMEANS, SAID CONDUIT MEANS BEING OF A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPEDCONFIGURATION AT THE REGION OF ITS INLET AND CURVING FROM SAID INLETFIRST UPWARDLY AND THEN DOWNWARDLY AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAIDU-SHAPED REGION IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID COMMONAXIS, SAID LIQUEFYING MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAIDCONDUIT MEANS AT A PART THEREOF WHICH IS SITUATED BEYOND BUT ADJACENTSAID U-SHAPED REGION.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a blowermeans communicates with said conduit means between said liquefying meansand treating means for blowing air into said conduit means to flow withthe contents thereof into said treating means.
 3. The combination ofclaim 2 and wherein a baffle means is carried by said conduit means inthe interior thereof at the location where air enters said conduit meansfrom said blower means to deflect the air downwardly along the interiorof said conduit means while preventing contact between liquid in saidconduit means and air at the location where said blower meanscommunicates with said conduit means.
 4. The combination of claim 3 andwherein said liquefying means includes a water jacket surrounding saidconduit means.
 5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said liquefyingmeans includes a spray means situated in said conduit means andcommunicating with said water jacket for receiving water therefrom forspraying the water across the interior of said conduit means.
 6. Thecombination of claim 5 and wherein said spray means is in the form of acircular tube having an outer region communicating through said conduitmeans with the interior of the water jacket and an inner region formedwith apertures for directing a liquid spray downwardly and across theinterior of said conduit means.
 7. The combination of claim 6 andwherein said treating means includes a settling tank for receivingliquid from said conduit means while permitting particulate matter tosettle to the bottom of said tank.
 8. The combination of claim 7 andwherein said settling tank has an overflow outlet situated at asubstantial distance above the bottom of the tank through which liquidoverflows and a gas outlet above said overflow outlet and through whchgas escapes.
 9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said tank carriesat an upper region thereof a means for supplying to the tank aneutralizing agent for reacting with liquid in the tank to neutralizeany noxious components therein for rendering them non-noxious and forenhancing the settlement of particulate matter to the bottom of thetank.
 10. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said liquefying meansincludes a water jacket surrounding said conduit means.
 11. Thecombination of claim 10 and wherein said liquefying means includes atubular ring situated in said conduit means and having an outer regioncommunicating with said water jacket for receiving water therefrom andan inner region formed with spray apertures from which liquid is sprayedacross the interior of said conduit means.
 12. The combination of claim1 and wherein said treating means includes a settlement tank forreceiving liquid from said outlet of said conduit means while permittingparticulate matter in the liquid to settle to the bottom of the tank.13. The combination of claim 12 and wherein said settlement tank has atan elevation substantially higher than its bottom an overflow outletthrough which liquid overflows from the tank and at an elevation higherthan said overflow outlet a gas outlet through which gas flows from thetank.
 14. The combination of claim 13 and wherein said settling tankcarries a supply means for supplying to the interior of the tank aneutralizing agent to be received by the liquid in the tank forneutralizing any noxious components and rendering the latter non-noxiousbefore liquid flows out through said overflow outlet and gas flows outthrough said gas outlet.
 15. The combination of claim 1 and wherein aboiler means communicates with said steam chamber for supplying steamthereto.